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[CCBC-Net] those orange biographies
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From: Florrie Binford Kichler <fkichler>
Date: Wed, 31 May 2006 08:18:13 -0400
Hello to all. When I was 8 years old I became ill with rheumatic fever and had to stay in bed for three months. This was the 1950's, so there were no video games, computers or TV in my room. Reading was my only entertainment. One day my Aunt Mary brought me an orange-covered book with the title
"Amelia Earhart, Kansas Girl." Like some of you have mentioned, I was hooked on those "orange biographies" (of course we know they weren't biographies but historical fiction as has been pointed out). When I recovered and could ride my bike to the library I can still remember those orange books lined up on the shelf in alphabetical order by title. And to this day, I can remember the plots of some of my favorite ones. Great literature? No, probably not. But by providing strong female role models for a little girl growing up in the 1950's AND teaching her who Jane Addams, Juliette Low, Nancy Hanks, etc. were, they certainly affected my life in a positive way.
Which is why, 40 years later, I decided to bring some of them back to life.
Florrie Binford Kichler, Patria Press
Hook Kids on History with the Young Patriots Series of fictional biographies. Visit http://www.patriapress.com and sign up for monthly notification of new titles! mailto:fkichler at patriapress.com 317-577-1321
-----Original Message----- From: ccbc-net-bounces at ccbc.ad.education.wisc.edu
[mailto:ccbc-net-bounces at ccbc.ad.education.wisc.edu] On Behalf Of Nancy Silverrod Sent: Tuesday, May 30, 2006 2:55 PM To: ccbc-net at ccbc.ad.education.wisc.edu Subject: [CCBC-Net] those orange biographies
I didn't remember the color of them, but I know right where they were on my library's shelves, and I read every single one. I know we consider them terrible resources today for many reasons, but they led me to a life-long love of reading history and biography (and historical fiction). Many of today's biographies for children, while factually and politically correct, are dull reading. We need to challenge authors and publishers to entrance non-fiction readers in the way that fiction can entrance.
Nancy Silverrod, Librarian
San Francisco Public Library
100 Larkin St.
San Francisco, CA 94102
415-557-4417
nsilverrod at sfpl.org
Books are the bees which carry the quickening pollen from one to another mind. -James Russell Lowell, poet, editor, and diplomat (1819-1891)
_______________________________________________ CCBC-Net mailing list CCBC-Net at ccbc.education.wisc.edu Visit this link to read archives or to unsubscribe... http://ccbc.education.wisc.edu/mailman/listinfo/ccbc-net
Received on Wed 31 May 2006 07:18:13 AM CDT
Date: Wed, 31 May 2006 08:18:13 -0400
Hello to all. When I was 8 years old I became ill with rheumatic fever and had to stay in bed for three months. This was the 1950's, so there were no video games, computers or TV in my room. Reading was my only entertainment. One day my Aunt Mary brought me an orange-covered book with the title
"Amelia Earhart, Kansas Girl." Like some of you have mentioned, I was hooked on those "orange biographies" (of course we know they weren't biographies but historical fiction as has been pointed out). When I recovered and could ride my bike to the library I can still remember those orange books lined up on the shelf in alphabetical order by title. And to this day, I can remember the plots of some of my favorite ones. Great literature? No, probably not. But by providing strong female role models for a little girl growing up in the 1950's AND teaching her who Jane Addams, Juliette Low, Nancy Hanks, etc. were, they certainly affected my life in a positive way.
Which is why, 40 years later, I decided to bring some of them back to life.
Florrie Binford Kichler, Patria Press
Hook Kids on History with the Young Patriots Series of fictional biographies. Visit http://www.patriapress.com and sign up for monthly notification of new titles! mailto:fkichler at patriapress.com 317-577-1321
-----Original Message----- From: ccbc-net-bounces at ccbc.ad.education.wisc.edu
[mailto:ccbc-net-bounces at ccbc.ad.education.wisc.edu] On Behalf Of Nancy Silverrod Sent: Tuesday, May 30, 2006 2:55 PM To: ccbc-net at ccbc.ad.education.wisc.edu Subject: [CCBC-Net] those orange biographies
I didn't remember the color of them, but I know right where they were on my library's shelves, and I read every single one. I know we consider them terrible resources today for many reasons, but they led me to a life-long love of reading history and biography (and historical fiction). Many of today's biographies for children, while factually and politically correct, are dull reading. We need to challenge authors and publishers to entrance non-fiction readers in the way that fiction can entrance.
Nancy Silverrod, Librarian
San Francisco Public Library
100 Larkin St.
San Francisco, CA 94102
415-557-4417
nsilverrod at sfpl.org
Books are the bees which carry the quickening pollen from one to another mind. -James Russell Lowell, poet, editor, and diplomat (1819-1891)
_______________________________________________ CCBC-Net mailing list CCBC-Net at ccbc.education.wisc.edu Visit this link to read archives or to unsubscribe... http://ccbc.education.wisc.edu/mailman/listinfo/ccbc-net
Received on Wed 31 May 2006 07:18:13 AM CDT
